The Night Rain's Tears
by Search.For.The.Light
Summary: No one knows where Amaya came from, or who she really is. But dangerous secrets come into light, and everyone's lives are changed... for better or for worse. Follow her and Sasuke's story of love, heartbreak, humor, and revenge... O/C


**Prologue**

**~7 years ago~**

**[Sasuke's POV]**

It was the movement that caught my eye when I was heading back from training. I had been out in the forest working on shuriken techniques, when all of a sudden it had started to rain. At first I had tried to keep training, but it had gotten too cold and too hard to do so anymore. Disgruntled and annoyed, I had made my way home, when sudden movements in the shadows made me turn. I automatically drew a kunai and went to investigate.

Squinting through the icy rain that was falling harshly upon the earth, I could make out a figure sitting by the side of the road. Warily interested, I walked over to it, holding my umbrella over my head. _Why would anyone want to be out at this time of night? Unless, of course, they're a ninja._ I thought as I walked over. It was a girl, curled up in a small ball by the side of the road. She looked to be about my age, about seven, maybe a bit younger. She wore a tattered white kimono, ripped at the bottom. I was unnerved to see that splashes of blood stained her side; hers or someone else's, I couldn't tell. She was barefoot, mud mixed with blood covering them. I couldn't tell what color her jaggedly cut waist-long hair was; it was much too matted and wet. When I approached, she raised her head to stare at me through dull, pale brown eyes that were filled with horror, sorrow, anger and hopelessness.

Sometimes I wonder what made me talk to her. Why I approched her. Normally, I'd just turn around and leave. I mean, it isn't my business, after all. But, for some reason, I didn't this one time.

"What are you doing out here without an umbrella? It's not that nice out here." I said softly, holding my umbrella over us both. The girl said nothing, only stared solemnly up at me. "Shouldn't you be getting to your house?" I persisted.

Again, the girl said nothing. But this time, tears rolled down her pale cheeks to mingle with the rain. Without really thinking about it, I pulled her to her feet and began to tow her towards my house, which was only a few blocks away. I don't know what prompted me to do so, but I was going to take her home. She followed obediently, though never said anything. A couple of times, she stumbled, cutting her knees and hands on the rocks, but nary a word escaped her. I yanked opened the door to the Uchiha mansion, shutting it quickly.

"Sasuke, there you--who's this?" Itachi, who had been standing by the door when I had flung the doo open, looked at the girl, who backed into the door. "A new friend? Why is she so dirty? Is that blood on her kimono?"

Ignoring my brother's questions, I asked, "Where's Mother?"

"Here I am, dear. Who's this?" Mom came out of the kitchen and looked at the shivering girl. Her eyes widened with alarm and she walked over to the girl, who flattened herself against the wall, eyes wide with fright. I tightened my hand around hers, a silent reassurance that nothing bad would happen to her. Her hand tightened around mine, and I could feel her quivering like a horse about to bolt.

"I don't know! I found her by the side of the road." I explained quickly. "She hasn't said anything, and I don't recognize her from the Academy or anything. I couldn't just leave her there, could I?" I demanded at Itachi's eye-rolling.

Mother knelt beside the girl, eyes kind. "Who are you, little one?" she asked kindly. The girl said nothing, dropping her gaze to stare at her muddy feet. Ignoring me, Mother said, "What about your family? Don't you have one?"The girl shook her head, tears rolling down her face once more. Father, who had come to stand by Mother, looked at her.

"We can keep her here, at least until we find her family." he said. I blinked at him, surprised. He had a rather strange look on his face, and his eyes were troubled. About a small girl? What on earth was there to be troubled about? Well, except for the blood, of course.

"We can. And we will." Mother said with a not of finality in her voice. She held Father's gaze for a long moment, and something seemed to pass between them before she looked at the little girl again. "You'll stay here, at least until we can find your family, okay?" The girl just blinked her large eyes, a dazed look on her face.

"Oh, cool, I get a little sister now, do I?" Itachi said with a smirk. The girl looked up, obviously startled. I glared at my brother. She seemed like such a serious little girl, and his joking wasn't helping at all.

"Do you have a name, little girl?" Father asked the girl. She hesitated, then nodded, but kept silent, fiddling with her ruined kimono. Mother touched her head gently, ignoring the girl's cringe. I wondered about that. She was so scared, so confused, and I didn't know why. We weren't gonna exacute her or anything."Do you wish to tell us?" Mother asked girl looked down, shamefaced, and shook her head.

"We can't just call you "girl"...How about the name...Amaya?" Mother suggested. "Since Sasuke found you in the night's rain?"

The girl gave Mother a long look, then nodded slowly. A change seemed to come over her, and, for the first time, she actually smiled tentitively at my mother. Mother returned the smile and stood up, clapping her hands together in a business-like fashion. "Out." She ordered us.

"Why?" I asked, somewhat protective of the newly-named Amaya.

"I'm going to bathe her. Unless you want--"

"No!" I cried, blushing.

**ONE HOUR LATER**

"Well, here she is!" Mother said, opening the kitchen door.

Amaya shyly inched into the room, head bowed. Her long hair was the a dark brown colour, though just calling it "brown" would be an insult. It was highlighted with natural amber, red and blonde streaks, making it shimmer like fire in the light.. She wore one of Mom's old dresses, a blue one with the Uchiha Clan symbol on the front. She looked rather good, I had to admit. She was barefoot, and bandages covered her knees and hands. A bandage was wrapped tightly around her arm; I couldn't remember if I had noticed that she was wounded there or not. She looked shyly at me, brown eyes worried. I smiled and beckoned for her to come over here. She obyed. I held out my hand.

For a long moment, she just looked at it. Amaya seemed like she was trying to decide something, something that caused her a lot of grief, if I was judging the look in her eyes right. Would she accept our help and warmth? I held my breath, waiting her judgement. Slowly, hesitently, she reached out with one slim, pale hand and placed it in mine. I smiled, while I noted that Mother and Father breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a look betweent them

"C'mon! I'll show you around!" I said, taking her hand.

--

Two months passed.

Amaya had difficulties adjusting to us. She never laughed, rarely smiled, or even spoke. She sometimes burst into tears for no apparent reason, too. But she'd never tell us what was wrong. It was difficult, living with a girl who refused to speak or tell us what caused her such anguish. She seemed exremely hesitent to trust us, and didn't really relax in our presence. But I found that she seemed to trust me the most. She followed me around like a lost puppy and did whatever I asked with solem respect. Surprisingly, I didn't really mind it. For one, she wasn't chatty and loud, content to watch me train or watch clouds. And she didn't obess over me like the other girls did.

I also found out that her ninja skills could rivel mine. It had come as a surprise, when I had asked if she was willing to spar with me. I hadn't actually thought she'd do it, but she did. And she beat me. I had been shocked, and told my parents. But for some reason, they didn't seemed surprised, only said that they would put her in the Academy with me. She and I took to sparring every day, each of us winning half the time.

Time passed, and she slowly got use to us. She didn't cringe when someone adressed her, and even laughed once, after I had flung a shuriken in the air only to have it come down and hit me in the head, almost knocking me out. Her laugh wasn't unlike the tinkling of bells, and, after getting over the pain and shock, I had joined in with the girl. But the real breakthrough happened one simple rainy night exactly a year from when I had found her. We had dubbed it her birthday, since we didn't know her real one. After singing happy birthday - in which she turned beat red and looked both happy and embaressed - I had passed her a plate of cake with a simple smile. She had been acting a bit off today, spacy. A thoughtful look in her eyes. Several times, she had taken a deep breath, only to release it.

Very strange.

So nothing could shock me more when she looked up at me and, in a voice that was hardly above a whisper, said, "Thank you Sasuke-onii-chan. For everything."


End file.
